Teachers Supporting New Immigrant ESL Learners

Abstract This Organizational Improvement Plan (OIP) examines how a teacher leader with influence can support classroom teachers in establishing a more inclusive and culturally competent learning environment. It is framed around a Problem of Practice (PoP) that emerged from a significant increase of new immigrant, English Second Language (ESL) learners enrolling at Rankin Elementary. Formal and informal school assessments revealed that ESL learners were achieving lower than their English speaking peers. This OIP serves to address how classroom teachers can effectively support new immigrant, ESL learners as they work to improve their English Language Proficiency. This OIP is viewed from a social justice lens and informed by critical theory. Transformational and culturally relevant leadership support a bottom-up approach to leadership. Culturally relevant pedagogy frames this OIP as a culturally relevant, whole child approach to instruction is explored. Lewin’s three-step model of unfreezing, change and refreezing serves as the leading change framework while Nadler and Tushman’s Congruence Model is used as the change path model, providing critical organizational analysis. The implementation plan outlines priorities and goals of the planned change and necessary supports and resources are identified. The PDSA model serves to monitor and evaluate the change process and a plan for communicating the need for change is developed